DE3317067A1 - INK-JET PRINTER AND SUCTION DEVICE FOR RESTORING ITS OPERATION - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an ink jet printer and an apparatus for recovering the same Functionality according to the preambles of claims 1 and 7-5

An ink jet printer is known in which ink is drawn from a detachable ink vessel from nozzles of recording heads is fed. Such a printer cannot continue printing if the

10 The ink tank is no longer mounted in the printer, as this means that no ink is fed to the nozzles. The nozzles of the Printers have an extremely small diameter. When not used for a long period of time ink may dry up or bubbles may appear

15 arise so that no more ink can be discharged from the nozzles. To prevent this from happening, such printers are available usually provided with a suction device to restore their functionality.

This device includes a cap that mounts over the tip of the nozzle head and over a flexible one Pipe can be connected to a source of negative pressure. · "

Du'silnor Bank (Mimt hon) KIn 3SKW H44

H.iyur Voroinnb.ink (Murichnn) Wo 50B 941

Postal check (Munich) KIo. 670-43-804

O I / UU /

Immediately before use, the cap is attached to the source of negative pressure to remove the ink from the nozzles suction, so that the interior of the nozzles is released and their functionality is restored. The suctioned Ink is pumped into a waste tank that is mounted in the printer and collected there.

In a printer having such a construction, the waste tank for the ink is often integral with one replaceable ink cartridge formed '. When the ink cartridge is replaced with a new one, the thus the waste tank can also be eliminated.

However, when ink is sucked from the nozzles when the ink cartridge with the waste tank is not in the printer mounted, the sucked ink is scattered inside the printer, so that the inner parts of the printer and the recording sheets become dirty.

In those cases where the waste tank is removed from the ink supply

tank is arranged separately, a state can occur at. that the waste tank is properly arranged in the printer, while the ink supply tank is not mounted therein.

In such a state, when the nozzles are vacuumed to restore their functionality of no ink is delivered to them because air is drawn into the nozzles.

The present invention is based on the object an inkjet printer and a suction device for

To provide restoration of its functionality, with which all problems can be eliminated, which are based on the fact that no ink container has been mounted in the printer.
35

Furthermore, a suction process should restore functionality can be prevented when the ink vessel is not mounted in a vessel receiving chamber. A capping however, the recording head should be possible even if the vessel is not in the vessel receiving chamber is arranged. The suction of ink from the recording head and the associated contamination of the Environment is to be prevented when the ink vessel is not in the vessel receiving chamber. 10

The invention also aims to provide an ink jet printer, the one suction operation at the tip of the recording head by using a cam surface prevented in the ink vessel. Furthermore, suction by means of negative pressure should be avoided when the vessel is on a connection is connected. A suction process should also be prevented if an ink container that a first memory containing fresh ink to be supplied to the recording head and a there is a second memory, which holds the ink to be removed, is not installed in the printer.

The aim is to create a suction device for restoring the functionality of the printer, which comprises a lever which is first moved downward to a predetermined position to hold a cap in its To hold the closed position, and which is then moved in the same direction \\ rider to move the cap out of its closed position to release. The cap should only be released from its closed position after the suction process has been carried out.

Furthermore, an inkjet printer is to be made available with the cap held in its closed position, wiMin indicates that there is no ink vessel

is mounted. Such a printer should also prevent the cap from being released from its closed position. when it has been determined that at the same time the first reservoir for supplying fresh ink to the recording head and the second memory to accumulation of the ink to be removed are not present in the case.

Finally, the invention aims to provide an ink jet printer in which suction prevents when the first ink reservoir for supplying the fresh ink to the recording head and the second ink reservoir to collect the ink to be removed are not present in the housing at the same time. 15th

The suction device for restoring the functionality of the printer should have devices that prevent a waste tank from collecting the ink to be disposed of when it is not in a receptacle receiving chamber is located. An ink channel should be blocked when the waste tank is missing. A suction process to restore the functionality and a recording process should can be carried out even when the vessel is not mounted.

The above object is achieved by an ink jet printer according to claim 1 and a suction device solved according to claim 7 '.

Developments of the subject matter of the invention are based on Subclaims.

The invention is now based on exemplary embodiments explained in detail. · All described and parts shown can be essential to the invention

Be meaning. Show it:

Figure * 1 is a schematic view of a first embodiment

leadership style;
5

FIG. 2 shows a side view of a suction device;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a cap opening mechanism;

IQ figures 4

Figures 5 and 6 illustrate the operation of the cap opening mechanism;

FIG. 7 shows a section through a second embodiment of a suction device;

Figure 8 is a section through the suction device of

Figure 7 shows in a state that a cassette is mounted therein;

Figure 9 shows a section through the cassette for the loading

. . , ".

sided ink; and

Figure 10 is a section through a modified cartridge for the ink to be removed.

Fig. 1 shows the construction of an ink jet printer. The printer includes a recording head RH in which an amount of ink is contained. The ink is fed to a nozzle unit N and discharged from there. The recording head RH is moved along guide rails (not shown) in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the sheet. The recording head RH is connected to an ink base 9 via a supply pipe T and is supplied with fresh ink from this ink vessel. The tip of the recording head RH is connected through a cap 5, which can be opened, and via a tube 7 to a suction

pump 6 is connected, tightly closed. The suction pump 6 is in turn connected to the ink vessel via a pipe 8 connected.

FIG. 2 shows the detailed structure of a suction mechanism provided in the printer for restoring its functionality. In the figure, an operating lever 1 is shown, which is used to carry out a capping process and a suction process for recovery

1.0 serves the functionality. The actuating lever 1 can be rotated via a pin 4 at the upper end of a support 3 stored. The support 3 is arranged on a base 2. The lever 1 can be operated from the outside. Adjacent to At the proximal end of the lever, a cam slot 1 a is formed therein, in which a cam slot arranged on the cap 5 is formed Pin 5a is arranged.

The cap 5 is provided with an elastic seal, around the space between the tip of the recording head RH and the cap 5 placed over it to be sealed. In this state, the nozzle of the nozzle unit N is removed from the cap sealed, as shown in FIG. The suction pump 6, which acts as a vacuum source, is on the top surface attached to the base 2 and over the pipes or ducts 7 connected to the cap 5. The suction pump 6 is also via the pipe or the channel 8 to a waste container 9a connected for ink to be removed in the ink vessel 9. The ink vessel 9 consists of a combination of the waste container 9a with another memory 9b which contains the fresh ink to be supplied to the recording head.

The ink vessel 9 is detachably mounted in a vessel receiving chamber R, from the base 2 and a frame (not shown) of the printer is formed. A hollow needle 8a is releasable into a thread plug (not shown) in the waste container 9a introduced to the waste container 9a with the suction

to connect pump 6. The hollow needle 8a is at the bottom End of the base-2 attached. As shown in Figure 1 is the tube T from the recording head RFi in a similar manner Via a hollow needle Ta, which is also attached to the base 2, with the reservoir 9b for the fresh ink tied together.

The suction pump 6 contains a piston rod 10 which is opposite a projection 11 on the inner surface of the actuating lever 1 is arranged. When the operating lever 1 is pivoted clockwise in Figure 2, the piston rod 10 pressed down by the projection 11 so that ink from the tip of the nozzle unit via the tube 7 sucked off and the nozzle unit is cleaned of ink contained therein, which through the tube 8 in the waste container 9a is pumped in the ink vessel 9.

A locking lever 12 is rotatably supported by a pin 13 at one end on the base 2. The lock lever 12 detects whether or not the ink vessel 9 is disposed in the vessel receiving chamber R, so that the seal between the cap 5 and the recording head is released or the bleeding operation to restore the operability is prevented. The locking lever 12 comprises a projection 12 a which is arranged on the side adjacent to the free end of the lever and which extends in the direction of the suction pump 6. The lever 12 further includes a pin 14 which is provided between the ends of the lever and on which a spring 16 is mounted at one end. The spring 16 extends from the pin 14 to a pin 15 on the base 2 and puts the locking lever 12 in Figure 2 against the Uh tend rs inn under pressure. The lower end of the locking lever 1- is used for the rotatable mounting of a roller

17. This roller 17 is in a position in which 35

they with a cam surface 18 on the outer wall of the ink vessel 9 can get in touch.

The locking lever 12 is thus pivoted counterclockwise in Figure 2 by the tensile force of the spring 16, when the ink vessel 9 is inserted into the vessel receiving chamber R. At this time, the protrusion 12a is standing with the side of the suction pump 6 in engagement, so that the locking lever 12 in the vertical shown in Figure 2

10, position is held. If you try in this state to press down the operating lever 1 in order to move the piston rod 10 downwards over the projection 11, a depression of the operating lever is prevented by a projection 1b, which is adjacent to the free end of the operating lever is arranged, with the upper end of the locking lever 12 engages, so that even no suction process is carried out when the operating lever is pressed down. So there is no ink which could spill into the interior of the printer and contaminate it.

In the above-described state, the ink memory 9b is not connected to the recording head RH. In doing so, however, no air is drawn into the nozzle unit either, since the suction process is not carried out, as is the case described above.

When the ink vessel 9 is mounted in the printer, the roller 17 provided on the lock lever 12 runs on the cam surface 18 from, so that the locking lever 12 is pivoted about the pin clockwise into a position shown in Figure 2 is shown in phantom. A suction process can thus take place. The inside of the printer however, it will not get dirty because of the sucked ink

can be pumped into the waste container.

A cap opening mechanism will now be described in conjunction with FIG.
5

A cap lever 19 is arranged side by side with the lock lever 12. This cap lever is shown in FIG Not shown. It is rotatably mounted on a shaft 21 which extends from a bearing element 20, as one Figure 3 can be seen. The shaft 21 is of an opening 19a, which is formed in the cap lever 19 and a has a significantly smaller diameter than the inner diameter of the opening 19a. Thus can the cap lever 19 not only rotate about the shaft 21, but also swing along the axis of the shaft 21. One Helical spring 22 that can be subjected to torsion is arranged around the shaft 21 and presses the cap lever 19 away from the bearing element 20. It also corrects the clockwise rotation of the cap lever 19, as shown in FIG.

A stop 23 is provided at the lower end of the cap lever 19 in a position in which the stop of one side of the cap lever 19 is opposite. The stop 23 is provided with a notch formed therein, with which the lower end of the cap lever 19 is engaged stands. Thus, in this state, the cap lever 19 cannot pivot clockwise and due to the presence of the stop 23 are moved forward.

The operating lever 1 further comprises an L-shaped one Hook 1c formed at the free end thereof. The hook 1c is engaged with a notch 19b occur, the mn upper end of the cap lever 19 is formed.

This notch 19b has an inclined bottom surface 19c on. The top 19d of the cap lever is toward inclined downward on the notch 19b.

The cap lever 19 formed in the manner described above is actuated by the lever 1 as follows:

First, the cap lever 19 is pivoted slightly clockwise by the action of the helical spring 22, as shown in Figures 3 and 4 when the operating lever 1 is not depressed. In such a State, the cap is not over the nozzle unit, so that no suction process is carried out.

After the ink vessel has been inserted into the printer and when the operating lever 1 is depressed is to perform the suction operation, the hook 1c enters with the inclined upper surface 19d of the cap lever 19 engaged to the lever in Figure 3 counterclockwise to move. Thus, the hook 1c slides on the upper inclined surface 19d of the cap lever 19 in FIG the notch 19b. This is shown in FIG. The cap lever 19 is held in its vertical position, while at the same time the cap 5, over the recording head RH is pushed so that a suction operation to restore the operability of the recording head can begin.

In such a state, the operating lever 1 can be depressed when the ink vessel 9 is in the

Printer is inserted. When the operating lever 1 is pressed down is performed, a suction operation, while at the same time the hook 1c along the inclined Surface 19c of notch 19b is moved down, 35

so that the cap lever 19 is displaced in the direction of the bearing element 20 against the force of the helical spring 22 into a position which is shown in phantom in FIG.
5

When the hook 1c is then moved out of the notch 19b on the side of the cap lever 19, the The cap lever 19 is moved back into its starting position shown in FIG. 4 by the force of the spring 22, see above that the cap 5 is released.

In other words, even if an ink cartridge is mounted in the printer, the operating lever 1 cannot return to its original position unless suction has been performed. This is upon it due to the fact that the hook 1c is in engagement with the notch 19b shown in FIG. The cap 5 can therefore only be released after a suction process to restore functionality of the printer has taken place. Thus, a good quality recording is obtained.

When the ink vessel 9 is not inserted into the vessel receiving chamber R, the operating lever 1 is by the Locking lever 12 prevented from moving downward. Thus, the hook 1c on the actuating lever 1 cannot come out of the notch 19b of the cap lever 19, to detach the cap 5 from the recording head RH. No recording is performed if the Ink vessel 9 has not been inserted into the printer.

The present invention is not based on the above embodiment described limited. For example the ink pot can be used as a reservoir for ink supply and a memory for the ink to be removed

'Contain, which are formed separately from each other.

In this case, the release of the cap and / or the suction process can be used to restore functionality prevented if one of the memories has not been installed in the printer.

FIG. 7 shows a second embodiment of a suction device for restoring functionality an ink jet printer which is in the form of a manually operated pump and which is shown in FIG illustrated inkjet printer can be used. The suction device comprises a cylinder 25, the whose upper wall forms. The cylinder 25 slidably receives a piston 26 which extends along it in the axial direction the inner wall of the cylinder moves. The cylinder 25 is provided with openings in its side wall which are connected to an ink suction pipe 27 and an air inlet pipe 28 which serve to draw excess ink and air out of the recording head. At the top At the end of the piston 26 is a piston rod 26a which extends outward through an opening, which is formed in the upper wall of the cylinder 25. In the opening around the piston rod 26a is a O-ring seal 27 is arranged. On the outer circumference of the piston 26, a sealing ring 28 made of an elastomeric material, for example synthetic rubber, is fixed mounted to come into sealing engagement with the inner wall of the cylinder 25. The piston 26 is also provided with an axially extending channel 26 B which has a check valve 29 on the underside of the piston 26 is arranged. This check valve 29 is formed from a synthetic resin film. The piston is pressed upwards by a return spring 30 designed as a helical spring.

When the piston 26 is moved downward against the force of the return spring 30 in the direction A of FIG. the check valve 29 closes the channel 26 B, so that in one of the piston 26 and the cylinder. 25 limited A negative pressure is generated in the space. Due to this negative pressure, the ink and air are removed from the recording head withdrawn through the ink suction pipe 27 and the air inlet pipe 28. When the piston 26 is in its depressed Position is released, he is by the force of the return spring 30 in the direction B after moved up. At this point, the check valve 29 opens the channel 26B, so that the ink and air drawn in from the space 31 through the channel 26 B into another space below, the piston 26 are discharged.

The cylinder 25 has a lower opening with which it mounted on a base 32 in a sealed manner. The base 32 forms a chamber 32 A for receiving a Disposable ink cartridge 33 which is in the form of a vessel for collecting the discharged ink from the recording head Owns ink. The base 32 is furthermore provided with an opening which connects the chamber 32 A with the interior of the cylinder 25 connects. Within this connection opening, a shut-off valve 34 is mounted with which the Interior of the cylinder can optionally be brought into connection with the chamber 32 A. The shut-off valve is pressed downward in the direction A of FIG. 7 by means of a helical spring 35. The downward movement of the Shut-off valve 34 is limited by a snap ring 36, during its upward movement by an im Valve 34 formed between both ends step 34A is limited. An O-ring seal 37 is used for sealing between the connection port and the shut-off valve 34. A T-shaped channel 34 B is formed for the shut-off valve.

The cartridge 33 for the ink to be removed instructs its top wall has projections 33A which slide in guide grooves 32B in the top wall of the chamber 32A to assemble the cassette in the chamber in the manner shown in FIG. When the cassette is mounted in the chamber 32A, the check valve 34 is opened by engagement with the inclined upper surface 33B of the cassette 33 is moved upwards so that the lateral channel portions 34B1 of the channel 34 are above the O-ring seal 37 can be opened. This has the consequence that the bottom of the cylinder 26, the inner wall of the Cylinder 25 and the upper wall of the base 32 delimited space 38 by the channel 34 B and in the upper wall of the cassette 33 formed inlet port 33C with the Interior of the cartridge 33 is brought into communication, so that the ink contained in the space 38 in the cartridge can be submitted and collected there. When the cassette 33 is mounted in the chamber 32 A and when the piston has moved to its lowest position_ is the arrangement taken so that the underside of the piston does not engage the top of the shut-off valve 34. Thus, the shut-off valve 34 does not prevent the downward movement of the piston 26, so that the suction process occurs the shut-off valve 34 is not disturbed. Even if the cassette 33 is mounted in the chamber 32 A, locks the shut-off valve 34 does not seal the inlet port 33C of the cassette 33. Channel 34 B is standing therefore through the gap 33 C 1 with the outside in connection, so that the inside of the cassette 33 always with the Atmosphere.

When the cartridge 3 for the ink to be removed is not mounted in the chamber 32 Λ, the side channel sections are 34B1 of the channel 34B arranged under the O-ring seal 37 in order to seal the space 38. Therefore, the

Ink contained in the space 38 does not leak out and contaminate the surrounding parts. When the cassette

38 is filled with the steps to be removed, it can replaced by a new cassette xverden.

In Figure 10, a modified embodiment is one According to the invention designed ink cartridge shown. This cartridge 39, which receives the ink to be removed, is divided into two chambers, one being the one to be removed Ink receiving storage chamber 39a and a chamber 39b for receiving a main ink tank 40. The ink cartridge

39 includes an inclined top surface 39B and one formed therein Inlet port 39C. The main ink tank receiving chamber 39B is provided with an elastomeric plug 4 provided, which is formed on the side of the chamber opposite to the ink jet printing, and the with a connecting needle 41 connected to the recording head. With such a Embodiment, the main ink tank 40 and the memory 39A for the ink to be disposed of can instantly can be used by inserting only the ink cartridge 39 in the direction C of Fig. 10 in the apparatus will.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above. Rather, it can with the achievement of corresponding advantages also in power-operated suction mechanisms that use differ from the manually operated suction device, which is described in connection with the drawing became.

According to the invention, an inkjet printer is therefore proposed, the one unit for drawing ink from the tip of a recording head, a vessel for

Collect the withdrawn from this unit, to be disposed of Ink, a chamber for releasably receiving the vessel and a unit that makes it possible that the to be disposed of Ink is collected in the vessel when it is mounted in the chamber, and the one collecting the ink prevented in the vessel if this is not mounted in the chamber.

Claims (1)

JO I / UD / TlEDfKE - BüHLING - KlNNE ^ Gfty! * "I; SSSÄSSl %. ESl Γ * - ^: ίϊ "* s J '·' - · 'Dipl.-lng. H. Tiedtke M HeLLMANN - WRAMS - OTRUiP Dipl.-Chem. G. Bühling Dipl.-Ing. R. Kinne Dipl.-Ing. R Group Dipl.-Ing. B. Pellmann Dipl.-Ing. K. Grams Dipl.-Chem. Dr. B. Struif Bavariaring 4, Postfach 20 24 C 8000 Munich 2 Tel .: 089-539653 Telex: 5-24845 tipat Telecopier: 0 89-537377 cable: Germaniapatent May 10, 1983 DE 3010 Patent claims 1. Inkjet printer characterized by a device for sucking ink from the ink discharge tip of a recording head RH, a vessel receiving chamber R for the detachable reception of a vessel (9) in which the ink is contained, and means for detecting whether the ink vessel is mounted in the vessel receiving chamber R. is or not, and which prevents the actuation of the suction device when it detects that the vessel (9) is not arranged in the vessel receiving chamber R. 10 2. Inkjet printer according to claim 1, characterized in that the suction device is a cap element (5) for sealing the ink discharge tip of the recording head RH, a source (6) of negative pressure and a loading comprises actuating device which initiates the suction process by generating a negative pressure in the source (6) of negative pressure is after the tip of the recording head has been sealingly closed by the cap member (5) is. 3. Inkjet printer according to claim 1 or 2, characterized characterized in that the vessel (9) comprises a reservoir (9a) for ink to be removed, in which it is collected, and that the memory for the ink to be removed is detachable is connected to a channel which is in communication with the suction device. Dresdner Bank (Munich) Account 3939 844 Bayer Vereinsbank (Munich) KIo. 508 941 Postscheck (Munich) Account 670-43-804 4. Inkjet printer , characterized by a device (6) for generating a negative pressure, through which the ink discharge tip of a recording head RIi is sucked off, a first lever (1) for actuating the device for generating a negative pressure, a vessel (9), in containing an ink and having a cam surface (18) formed on its outer wall, and a second lever (12) which has one end engaged with the cam surface (18) of the vessel and which can move to be moved engages the first lever (1) to prevent actuation of the negative pressure generating means when the vessel (9) is in place. 5. Inkjet printer according to claim 4, characterized in that it further comprises a connection which can establish a connection with the interior of the vessel (9) when this is in place. 6. Ink jet printer according to claim 4 or S, characterized in that the vessel (9) comprises a first memory (9r ·) which contains an ink to be supplied to the recording head RH, and a second memory (9a) which un : es the action contains ink sucked out of the negative pressure from the recording head to be removed, and that both memories are connected to one another via the connection, 7. Suction device to restore the functionality of a printer, characterized by a cap device (5) for sealing the ink discharge tip of a recording head RH, a lever (1) for moving the cap device (5) between a first position in which the Recording head from the Kappeneii viz. device is tightly sealed, and a second positior. which the recording head is open ^ and a device which engages the lever CV) and prevents this from executing a movement when it is moved in a predetermined direction to a predetermined position, and to release the lever when this-is moved on in the specified direction. 8. Suction device according to claim 7, characterized in that it further comprises a device (6) for suction of the tip of the recording head by the cap means (5) which can operate when the lever is moved further from the predetermined position in the predetermined direction. 9. Inkjet printer characterized by a cap device (5) for sealing the ink discharge tip of a recording head RH, a vessel receiving chamber R for the detachable accommodation of a vessel (9) in which an ink is contained and devices that detect, whether the vessel is arranged in the vessel receiving chamber or not, and prevent the release of the cap device (5) from its closed position if it is determined that the vessel is not in the vessel receiving chamber. 10. Inkjet printer, characterized by a cap device (5) for sealing the ink discharge tip of a recording head RH, means (6) for sucking the tip of the recording head through the Cap means, a first storage means (9b) which contains an ink to be supplied to the recording head, a second storage means (9a) which contains the waste to be disposed of sucked from the recording head by the suction means Containing ink, a chamber R which houses the first and second storage means, and means which detects whether the first and second storage means are arranged in the chamber or not, and which Prevents release of the cap device from its locking position if both are detected the first and second storage devices are not located within the chamber. 11. Inkjet printer, characterized by a cap device for sealing the ink discharge tip of a recording head, means for Vacuuming the ink discharge tip of the recording head through the cap means, a first ink storage means, the one to be fed to the recording head Ink contains, a second ink storage means for collecting the ink to be removed sucked from the recording head by the suction means, a chamber for receiving the first and second storage devices and devices for detecting whether the first and second Storage devices are or are not arranged in the chamber and which prevent the suction device from being operated, if it is determined that both the first and second storage devices are not in the chamber are arranged. 12. Extraction device to restore functionality a printer characterized by means for drawing an ink from the tip of a recording head, a vessel for collecting the ink drawn from these devices to be disposed of, a Vessel holder for the detachable reception of the vessel and devices, which allow the withdrawn ink to be collected in the vessel when the vessel is in place in the chamber and which prevent the ink from collecting in the vessel when it is not in the chamber. 13. Suction device according to claim 12, characterized in that the last-mentioned devices a
Valve for closing a channel between the vessel and the ink removal device comprise when the vessel is not arranged in the chamber. 14. Suction device according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that the trigger device is both active
is when the vessel is mounted in the chamber as well as when the vessel is not arranged in the chamber.